The Mergenthaler Family

Also at Letters from the Nest: https://open.substack.com/pub/lettersfromthenest/p/crying-over-laundry?r=48qui&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Dear Children, One evening a few weeks ago, we invited two young women into our home to meet our family. They were full-time missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and had been recently reassigned to be the first female missionaries to serve in our congregation for many years. I am always impressed with young full-time missionaries. Their goodness and honesty through struggles is inspiring. They are doing difficult work under difficult circumstances. These two young women were telling us about their awful first Preparation Day (P-Day) in the area. P-Days, for missionaries, are meant to be the one day each week, as a “day off’ from full-time proselyting to buy groceries, wash clothes, participate in wholesome recreational activities, and call their families. P-Days are a break in the daily grind that can s...

 I spoke in our stake conference last week. My assignment was given based on my last Letters From the Nest Post, so I revised it to be a 5-minute talk. I think I did a better job at organizing my thoughts since I had that 5-minute limit. I'll also add some pics from life lately. I keep meaning to write an actual family update, but haven't gotten to it yet. Given Altoona Stake Conference on November 16, 2025 Sometimes our children ask me to help them clean their rooms. When they do, I know they’re not just asking me to help them put things away-- they’re asking me to help them declutter, so their spaces are easier to manage. We begin by procuring two containers--one for trash and one for donations. We will go through their room, addressing one item at a time. I’ll hold an article of clothing or toy up and ask, “Can we say goodbye to this?” If the item is a keeper, they’re tasked with putting that item away in a place that contributes to that item’s usefulness. If they’re ready t...